We all know how nice it would be to get featured on the Instagram explore page.
It seems to be what everyone lives for these days, and there’s a good reason for it. If you do end up making it big enough to be featured, this is a great way to get your brand out there and gain more followers.
However, we all know that it’s a lot easier said than done, especially because a lot of it is outside of your control. That’s why we wrote this article – so that you can have a chance to be featured.
What is it?
So, what is the Instagram explore page, anyway?
It is a collection of content and posts that Instagram thinks you would be interested based on your brand’s niche and industry.
They’re also going to look at the posts you’ve scrolled through and who you follow to figure out what to show you.
They use an automated system to figure this out, which to a lot of people sounds pretty straightforward. However, it’s not as simple as you think.
This is because the automated system it uses is always changing because your interests change over time, as well.
How to Get on the Instagram Explore Page: So, What Do You Need to Do?
1. Time is Important
When it comes to being on Instagram, time is of the essence.
This means that if you want to make sure you get featured on the explore page, you’ve got to get the timing just right.
If you post when your followers are on the gram and are going to interact with your post, then there’s a better chance of Instagram taking notice and featuring it.
The more engagement your post gets, the more likely it will make it to the Instagram explore page.
2. Tell the Story
We all know how much we like checking out other people’s Instagram stories these days.
Well, because everyone is so obsessed with Instagram stories these days, this is a great way to increase your overall engagement and get Instagram to take notice of what you’re doing.
Try creating polls in your stories and even having competitions.
The more interacting you do with your audience, the more you will stand out on the gram.
3. Get Those Captions Going
People love it when they find clever, funny, or relatable captions attached to Instagram content.
The better your captions are, the more of a chance you have of attracting your existing audience, as well as new potentials, too. A well-written caption goes a long way in your favor, so we think that it’s worth putting a little extra time in and making sure that your captions read well.
It could even be worth putting a question out there so that your readers have something to respond to.
4. Spread the Love
Instagram is going to be looking out for how much time you spend interacting with your followers through the comments that they leave.
If you’re not someone who is used to liking and replying to comments, then you’re going to have a hard time getting featured. Instead, try being more proactive about getting back to people who interact with your account.
This way, Instagram will realize that you’re putting a real effort in, and may even consider featuring you at some point.
5. Get Messaging
There are other ways to interact with your followers that don’t just involve the comment section.
In fact, if you’ve got a lot of people leaving comments on your content, why not encourage them to get in touch with you through your DMs?
This is a great way to interact further with your fans, and it will do wonders for your chances of being featured.
Instagram will notice it and be impressed that you’re going to extra mile for those who are following you.
You may have noticed that there’s one thing that everyone is doing on the gram – using hashtags.
While they didn’t necessarily start on Instagram, they have quickly become an essential part of this social media app.
This means that if you don’t have your Instagram game up to scratch, you could be losing out on opportunities to be featured and not even know it.
Another thing that Instagram looks out for is how well you’re using your hashtags. Are they relevant to your content? Do they add to your posts, or are they just there to get more attention?
The more specific you are with your hashtags, the better you’ll do on the gram. Instagram will see the effort and reward you.
7. Get Shooting
Video is becoming more and more popular on the gram as a way of connecting and engaging with your audience.
As well as Instagram stories, you’ve got the option to put videos in your feed, too, which a lot of people are now doing. Posting a video instead of a picture is a great way to capture your audience’s attention for longer.
They have to stop scrolling through their feed to look at your video, which is going to increase the chances of them interacting with it by commenting and liking.
8. Get Stacking
What’s better than one photo?
Two, or more. The more photos you put with each post, the more engagement you’re going to get on them.
There’s nothing wrong with just posting one picture, but again like the videos, if you want your audience to actually stop what they’re doing and check out the rest of your content, we recommend putting up more than one photo per post.
Final Thoughts
We aren’t magicians, and we don’t know the future, but we think that tips and tricks like the ones that you read above are going to be helpful in getting you featured on that all-important Instagram explore page.
While Instagram is changing its algorithm up all the time, they’re also on the lookout for who next to feature. If you want that to be you, then we highly recommend trying some new moves.
We promise that it will definitely help you stand out from the crowd, and even if it doesn’t get you featured, it will still appeal to your audience.